RallyNorth.net

ANDOVER — To her credit — and her coach's — Talia Dellatto did her best to play off the bucket as just another layup in a team-effort victory.

"I mean, really, it was the whole team throughout the whole game," Dellatto said after getting hugs from pretty much the entire Andover booster section. "That was just one little play there that happened to change the game. It could've been anyone out there, but I was just glad we won."

Sure, Talia, it was just one of 16 Golden Warrior field goals — the only one of your night, in fact — but that layup unquestionably proved to be the biggest shot in what could prove to be one of the biggest wins of what is becoming another season of high expectations.

With Chelmsford holding the ball in a tie game, Dellatto stepped in front of a Lion pass about five feet above the arc. The senior guard hauled in the ball she punched free and converted the game-winning layup with 15 seconds remaining. And when teammate Rachael Cormier nailed a couple free throws moments later, the Golden Warriors had a key 45-41 victory over the previously undefeated and ninth-ranked Lions.

"It definitely is a big thing," Dellatto said after being pushed to expand on the play. "It was a great moment, especially after not playing last year.I got three concussions my sophomore year, so I had to sit out all last year. I'm just thankful to be back this year."

But after that brief moment of self satisfaction, the only substitute Andover coach E.J. Perry used last night reverted back to recognizing the team.

"The past week of practice, we've been working on deny (the pass)," said Dellatto, who has scored in only seven games this season, including a season-high 11 in a Christmas tourney victory over North Andover. "So I just owe it all to coach and the other girls on the team."

Dellatto's play was part of an Andover defense that needed to bounce back after allowing a pair of 22-point quarters in the Warriors' loss to North Andover their last time out. Although they held the Lions to eight points in the opening quarter and 20 in the half, the Warriors could not keep Chelmsford (9-1) off the boards, allowing 11 offensive rebounds.

And when the Warriors (10-1) turned over the ball on eight of their final 11 first-half possessions while going scoreless the final 4:50, they found themselves in 20-17 hole at intermission. A more consistent offensive effort in a 19-point third quarter helped Andover claim a nine-point advantage going into the fourth.

"We had a great heart to heart about that," Perry said about the week board play. "Then Jillian (Webber) and Alyssa (Casey) stepped up ... I knew these girls had the heart of a championship. I tell them all the time it's about preparation, so I took responsibility for that loss on Friday. But I left it up to them tonight, and I don't think (Chelmsford) got 22 in a half tonight."

Three Andover points over the first 6:41 of the fourth, however, allowed Chelmsford to take a 41-39 lead with 1:45 left. A field goal by Jillian Webber, who scored a game-high 14, with 1:19 remaining set things up for Dellatto's heroics.